007/05
21 February 2005

Building future skills in Australian ICT

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, today announced the formation of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Skills Foresighting Working Group.

The Working Group will work with the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) on examining trends and future developments of Australia's ICT sector and their implications for ICT skills development. This will include a review of skills demand, the fit between industry skill needs and existing training and possible options for better meeting the future skill needs of industry.

"Global competition and changes in demand mean workers in the ICT sector are required to constantly update their skills to keep up with the changing nature of this sector," Senator Coonan said.

"The Australian Government's 2004 election policy statement Information Technology: Connecting an Innovative Australia highlighted re-skilling of ICT workers as an important priority. It also stated the Government's intention to work with the industry to ensure ICT professionals take advantage of training and other initiatives to move with the industry.

"This project will provide an analysis of emerging ICT requirements that will complement the Government's election commitment. It will help to improve the identification of skills in demand and the options for training and other initiatives to enable more effective ICT skills development."

The ICT Skills Foresighting Project was first announced in June 2004 at a government and industry forum held to review progress in meeting recommendations of the ICT Framework for the Future report and to examine the challenges facing the sector. A final report from the Working Group for is expected mid 2005.

The following representatives from the ICT industry and education sector have been selected as members of the Working Group:

• Ms Danika Bakalich, CompTIA Australia;
• Mr Brian Donovan, IT Skills Hub;
• Mr Michel Hedley, Australian Information Industry Association;
• Mr John Maddock, Box Hill Institute;
• Mr Edward Mandla, Australian Computer Society;
• Professor Ron Weber, Monash University;
• Assoc Prof David Wilson, University of Technology Sydney

For further information on Australian Government ICT industry initiatives visit www.dcita.gov.au/ict.